Supported Banks and Institutions

Balance supports over 11,000 financial institutions through Plaid, including major banks, credit unions, and credit card companies across the United States and Canada.

Major Banks Supported

National Banks (US)

✅ Chase (JP Morgan Chase)
✅ Bank of America
✅ Wells Fargo
✅ Citibank
✅ U.S. Bank
✅ PNC Bank
✅ Capital One
✅ TD Bank
✅ Truist Bank
✅ Fifth Third Bank
✅ Regions Bank
✅ KeyBank
✅ Citizens Bank
✅ Huntington Bank
✅ BMO Harris

Online Banks

✅ Ally Bank
✅ Marcus by Goldman Sachs
✅ Discover Bank
✅ American Express
✅ Synchrony Bank
✅ Chime
✅ SoFi
✅ Current
✅ Varo Bank
✅ Aspiration

Credit Unions

✅ Navy Federal Credit Union
✅ Pentagon Federal Credit Union
✅ Alliant Credit Union
✅ BECU
✅ Golden 1 Credit Union
✅ SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union
✅ And 1000s more local credit unions

Credit Card Issuers

✅ American Express
✅ Capital One
✅ Chase Cards
✅ Discover
✅ Bank of America Cards
✅ Citi Cards
✅ Wells Fargo Cards
✅ Synchrony (store cards)
✅ Barclays

Canadian Banks

✅ Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
✅ TD Canada Trust
✅ Scotiabank
✅ BMO (Bank of Montreal)
✅ CIBC
✅ Desjardins
✅ National Bank of Canada
✅ Tangerine
✅ Simplii Financial

How to Check if Your Bank is Supported

During Connection

1. Start connecting a bank in Balance
2. Type your bank’s name
3. If it appears in the search results, it’s supported
4. Select it and proceed with connection

Tips for Finding Your Bank

• Try different names: “Chase” vs “JP Morgan Chase”
• Use abbreviations: “BoA” for Bank of America
• Search parent company: Small banks may be under a larger network
• Include location: Some credit unions need city/state

What If My Bank Isn’t Supported?

Alternative Options

1. Check for Parent Institution

• Many smaller banks are part of larger networks
• Try searching for the parent company

2. Request Your Bank

• Contact Balance support
• We can request Plaid to add your institution
• Processing time varies (typically 4-8 weeks)

3. Use Manual Entry

• Add transactions manually
• Still get budget tracking benefits
• See Adding Manual Transactions

Banks That May Have Limited Support

Some banks may have:

• ⚠️ Manual verification required (micro-deposits)
• ⚠️ Frequent re-authentication needed
• ⚠️ Delayed transaction syncing
• ⚠️ Balance-only updates (no transaction history)

Connection Features by Bank

Instant Authentication

Most major banks support instant connection with username/password.

OAuth Authentication

Some banks (like Capital One, Chase) use OAuth:

• More secure
• No password entry
• Approve on bank’s website
• Faster reconnection

Multi-Factor Authentication

Many banks require MFA:

• Text message codes
• Email codes
• App notifications
• Security questions

Regional and Community Banks

How They Work

• Most regional banks are supported through Plaid
• May appear with full official name
• Might require exact name match
• Usually have same features as major banks

If You Can’t Find It

Try searching:

• Full official name
• Common abbreviation
• City or region name
• Parent company

Example: “First National Bank of [City]”

Investment and Brokerage Accounts

Limited Support

Balance focuses on everyday spending accounts:

Well Supported:

• Checking accounts
• Savings accounts
• Credit cards

Limited/Not Recommended:

• Investment accounts
• Brokerage accounts
• Retirement accounts (401k, IRA)
• Crypto wallets

Why? These accounts don’t have daily transactions relevant to monthly budgeting.

International Banks

Currently, Balance primarily supports:

• United States banks
• Canadian banks

Coming Soon:

• UK banks
• European banks
• Other international institutions

Requesting New Banks

How to Request

1. Email support@balancebudget.app
2. Include:
   • Bank name
   • Bank website
   • Your city/state
   • Type of institution (bank/credit union)
3. We’ll submit to Plaid

What Happens Next

1. Request Submitted - We forward to Plaid
2. Plaid Review - They evaluate the institution
3. Integration - Plaid adds support (if approved)
4. Notification - We’ll let you know when available

Timeline: Usually 4-12 weeks, varies by institution

Bank Reliability

Most Reliable Connections

Major national banks typically have:

• ✅ Instant authentication
• ✅ Fast syncing (1-2 hours)
• ✅ Stable connections
• ✅ Full transaction history
• ✅ Rare disconnections

Less Reliable

Smaller institutions may have:

• ⚠️ Slower syncing (12-24 hours)
• ⚠️ More frequent disconnections
• ⚠️ Limited transaction history
• ⚠️ Delayed balance updates

Troubleshooting Bank-Specific Issues

If Your Bank Keeps Disconnecting

Some banks (like Navy Federal) require more frequent re-authentication:

• This is a bank security feature
• Not a Balance issue
• Simply reconnect when prompted
• See Reconnecting Accounts

If Syncing is Slow

Some banks delay transaction reporting:

• Check your bank’s online banking
• Transactions appear there first
• Balance syncs what’s available
• Usually updates within 24 hours

Next Steps

Now that you know about supported banks:

1. Connect Your Bank - Start the connection process
2. Troubleshooting - Fix connection issues
3. Security & Privacy - Learn about data protection

Questions about your specific bank? Contact our support team!